St Helens Council planning applications
Data as of 5 November 2026
St Helens Council decided more than 840 planning applications in the twelve months to 5 November 2026. It refused 5% of those it approved or refused, lower than the middle UK council (9%), and took a median of 55 days to decide one.
Look up one application
Search by reference or address on St Helens Council’s own planning portal. Or ask Claude, with the PlanningLedger connector, to find it and read its officer report and decision notice (mcp.planningledger.com).
Recent major decisions
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30 October 2026 · Approved
Cowley Hill College Street St Helens Merseyside · P/2026/0016/RES
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13 August 2026 · Approved
Bird I'th Hand 200 Prescot Road St Helens WA10 3HE · P/2025/0576/FUL
Figures for St Helens Council
| Applications decided | more than 840 |
|---|---|
| Share refusedof those approved or refused | 5%middle UK council 9% |
| Median time to a decisionfrom the valid date | 55 daysmiddle UK council 55 days |
| Householder applications refusedextensions, lofts, outbuildings | Not enough typed decisions |
| Appeals decidedin the last three years | 44 |
| Appeals allowedof those decided on their merits | 15%about one in seven |
| Officer reports and decision notices searchable | back to 2017 |
| Local Plan policies held | 78plan adopted 2022 |
What inspectors decide appeals on
In their own words, from recent appeal decisions on St Helens Council’s planning applications.
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“The main issue is the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area.”
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“The main parties have agreed that the proposal would represent inappropriate development in the Green Belt, and that was the conclusion of the Inspector in the previous appeal. I concur with that position. 6. On that basis, the main issues…”
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“The main issues are: • Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework) and any relevant development plan policies; • The effect of the proposal on the…”
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“The main issues are: • Whether the proposal would be inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the Framework and any relevant development plan policies; • The effect of the proposal on the openness of the Green Belt…”
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“The main issues are: • Whether or not the proposal is inappropriate development in the Green Belt having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework) and any relevant development plan policies; • The effect of the proposal on…”
How we count, and what each figure leaves out: methodology. The council’s own register is the record, and each application links to it.